We saw–through milky light, above the doghouse–
A blue jay lecturing the neighbor’s cat
So fiercely that, at first, it seemed to wonder
When birds fought the diplomacy of light
And met, instead, each charge with a wild swoop,
Metallic cry and angry thrust of beak.
Later we found the reason,
Near the fence
Among the flowerless stalks of daffodils,
A weak piping of feathers.
Too late now to go back
To nest again among the sheltering leaves…
~Excerpted lines from a poem by Paul Lake
Photo posted on Flickr by Brian E. Cushner
Noisy blue jays screech in the alley calling for help because a baby has been snatched from the nest by a prowling cat. Alarmed I look up at one of my cavity nests where I recently heard the tiny peeps of newly birthed baby sparrows. I’m relieved to see Mom and Pop sparrow sitting close by in attentive, watchful vigilance for they’ve spotted the cat wandering back inside the yard. But they too have been seen and in a flash the cat charges ready to pounce. The sparrows quickly take to wing, however, and make a clean getaway fearing not for the safety of their children for they know that having just been fed the hatchlings will lay quietly inside the nest till their return. And so now whilst the feline huntress sleeps under her favorite lawn chair she can only dream of better days when she’ll once again have her way.
Hardly a day goes by when one cannot find something engaging or new being birthed in a garden. Even in late autumn and winter there’s a hopeful progression of captivating events. Our lives are like that too, I think. Since it’s a bit harder sometimes to realize much variation or progression in our day to day living, I love to go out and walk or sit in my garden so I can feel the thrill of moving constancy, intrigue, and rebirth.
The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. ~Ecclesiastes 7:8 ✝
Sweet Jesus, fill us with the mercy you bled and draw us back unto Yourself! Let us be aware of You in all that we see and hear in Creation!
Sacred Touches 
Absolutely beautiful!
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Why thank you, Zara. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Blessings and hugs, Natalie 🙂
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Enjoy your garden watch! (what do you do to keep the mosquitoes from bugging you as you gaze upon the adventures unfolding before you???) I sit for awhile until I get bitten! Hugs ~ Laura
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Oh I do and I will. Laura, mosquitoes seldom bite me for some reason. I can sit down on the ground and pull weeds and they will swarm all around me but rarely bite me. I must not taste very good or my “meat” is too tough, hee hee. Hugs and love, Natalie 🙂
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What a blessing! 🙂
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Nothing is as fascinating as the garden (unless it’s visiting great grandchildren)!
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You are absolutely right, Marie, at least about the garden. I don’t have any great-grandchildren yet, but I do adore my daughter and her three children. Blessings and hugs, Natalie 🙂
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as gawky and squawky as they are—I really do love them—so regal
Lovely post–the jays are happy 🙂
hugs and love—cookie
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I do like them too. They are a bit piggish at the feeders and bully the other guys away whilst they feed. But they are beautiful birds. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and that the jays are happy. They are fun to watch in the bird baths when the decide it’s time for a bath. Love and hugs, Natalie 🙂
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When I was younger my mother’s yard was home to several families of Blue Jays, and they always made their racket and yet I did not mind, because my favorite color was blue, and they were always so beautiful to me . Thanks for the step back. Your posts are so very meaningful, and your words and images a delight to embrace thanks for sharing…hugs and blessings!
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Why thank you for the kind words, Wendell. I’m so glad the post brought back good memories. We have lots of blue jays here and I love them too because they are such a lovely color of blue. I pray you have a great weekend. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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